Decided to change my cd player, suggestions please?

Have now lived with my "new" system for a while and just my thoughts.
Replaced both the krell power amp and cd player with Esoteric sa-50 and BAT VK600SE.
After selling off the Krells I am probably out $4k total with some new cables as well.
Did i get $4k perceived value?
Probably not tbh, the sound is different, some improvements but some reductions.

The low and mid bass is noticeably stronger and fuller, much more slam and as I listen to rock music that is a good thing for sure, not fat or bloated just more "iron fist" type of improvement, makes the Ushers work for a living now!
Vocals about the same, maybe a little more chesty but would be a tough call.
It is definitely more volume tolerant without becoming harsh as the Krells were apt to do, I can now watch the windows bow before my ears tell me it is distorting, a sure sign of the huge power reserves of the BAT.
But the soundstage has definitely suffered, a fair bit tbh. Even sitting with my eyes closed I can tell exactly which speaker each instrument or vocal is coming from with ease, a feat the Krells dismissed with ease, guitars would come in through the walls it seemed. That right there is my biggest area of disapointment.
And yes slap all this equipment in another room in another house with different music and ears and the results could well be completely different, I know that!
I suspect the BAT is the main culprit for the soundstage but after spending $4k its going to have to wait a while before I can splurge again!

Save a ton of money and have more fun, get a Blue Sound Vault 2! Rip, store and play. Analog and digital outs. If you want to improve it slightly you can get an external DAC to run it through. Also does HiRez streaming and downloads. $1200.....buy more music!

Good to read- uberwaltz

Rock, Hard Rock and Metal are very difficult genre(s) to get right on any high-end system.  What cables/cords are you using? Any planned upgrades in brands?

Happy Listening!

@dave_b
sorry but you can call me a dinosaur!
I have zero interest in ripped files or a music server or streaming tbh
it took long enough for me to move from vinyl to cds!
good for those into it, just not my thing, i like to fondle those shiny silver discs....lol

@jafant
Upgrades already performed to the arc ls2 pre which have improved matters no end.
simple and cheap job of swapping the tube for a golden lion AND then adding a herbies tube damper.
Soundstage vastly increased again and clarity of vocals is very impressive to my ears. low down and mid bass feels just as strong as ever so a win win for a grand total of $58!
Next you will have me believing power cords and fuses can make a difference...lol
all interconnects are cardas quadlink xlr, power cords are cardas quadlink too. speaker cables are straightwire octave 2